An Irish toast (the first of several):
May you be in heaven a full half hour before the devil knows you're dead.
The Irish are known for a number of things: a drinking culture; conflict and devotion; tempers which flare, then dissipate into self deprecating humour; an incomprehensible accent; beer so thick you can stand a spoon in it; leprechauns and pots of gold; and potatoes. Oh, the potatoes.
Lured by promises of five (yes, five) different types of mash, Rami, Caroline, Naomi, Nick, Sai, Jo, Helen, Ross, Deb, Paul and Marty arrived in search of Irish cheer, and Irish beer.
The Quiet Man is proud of its many awards, proclaiming them not-so-quietly on huge banners facing the main street: "Best Pub without Gaming " and "Best Theme Venue" amongst the honours heaped upon this establishment. The Shamrock dining room sports the look of many an Irish pub- wooden benches, Guinness posters, and many noisy diners and drinkers. Sprawling on long wooden benches, we pored over the extensive Irish menu. The chef is Irish, and lauds the fresh produce of Irish cuisine. Apparently a key employment criteria is that staff must be Irish backpackers, their lilting accents adding to the general hubbub.
Entrees
Natural Oysters
Escalopes of Irish Black Pudding
Mains
Bagun Agues Cabaiste- Bacon and Cabbage
Liam McCarthy's Lamb Shanks
Scotch Fillet Doolin' Style- Steak with prawn and scallop
The Quiet Man Stack- Steak and Chicken Breast
Boxty- Potato Pancake
St James Gate Beef and Guinness Pie
Bally McElliot's Brown Beef Stew
Sides
Steamed Vegetables
Green Salad
Creamy Mashed Potato
Spinach Mashed Potato
Champ- Mashed Potato with spring onion
Chips
The Meals
Entrees were a mixture of the tried and true (Helen happily dived into a plate of oysters) and, for many, the suspiciously new. Four brave souls put their hands up to try the black pudding, and were pleasantly surprised by the combination of flavours, the sweetness of the apple highlighting the earthy depth of the sausage.
We were pleased with our efforts to sample as many types of potato as possible; the chips, and chunks of boiled potato within stews and pies were tasty enough, but it was the abundance of mash that truly sparked our imaginations. Thrillingly green, the spinach mash was a tasty side, while the crunch of spring onion in the champ explained its popularity as an Irish meal in its own right.
It was easy to sample traditional Irish fare here, with most dishes being of clear Irish origin- or, at the very least, clear Irish nick-naming. Just as comfortable on an Aussie pub specials board, the lamb shanks, served in a tasty jus abed creamy mashed potato, sported tender meat which fell from the bone. In a standard Aussie pub, the Doolin' scotch fillet may well have been labelled a Surf'n'turf. Perfectly cooked, the steak presented impressively, served on a stack of that exciting green spinach mash and topped with succulent seafood.
Refusing to be outdone by a single steak, the Quiet Man Stack proved it possible to serve far more food stacked atop itself. Consisting of steak, then chicken, then steak, then chicken and served with veg and potato, this meat-a-thon astounded the recipient. Paul deserves congratulations for bravely rising to the challenge!
We were sure to tackle some more traditional Irish fare, as well. Generally a poor man's dish, the Bacon and Cabbage is boiled together, and was served on an enormous bed of potato mash. Despite its simplicity, this dish was enjoyed for its delicate texture and subtle mix of flavours. The Boxty potato pancake was at one point described as 'an enormous gnocchi', but as the diner was quite fond of gnocchi, this was a compliment! Served a little like a parmagiana, with cheese and tomato sauce, this was another one to add to our tally of satisfying Irish potato dishes.
Of course, it simply wouldn't be a meal in an Irish pub without a beef and Guinness pie. We tried this dish, served in an individual ramekin (did Rami's come in a Rami-kin? Sorry...), both with and without the creamy potato topping. Tender meat and a rich sauce combined to produce a truly satisfying version of this meal. However,. without a pie crust, it did feel a little bit like the poor man's version of one of Quiet Man's legendary stews.
The menu advised that the Brown Beef Stew would be served in an edible loaf. It didn't warn that the loaf was literally a half loaf of bread. With the soft, white crust intact, this loaf was stuffed to bursting point with hearty gravy, deliciously tender strips of beef and a token smattering of vegetables. When strips of the bread loaf were torn away, it revealed a soft, gravy soaked underside to the crust. At less than $20, and in a serving size that couldn't be finished by two sharing the meal, the stew at Quiet Man is a sure fire winner.
In true Irish fashion, we washed down our meals with a selection of beverages, including gin and tonics, and a sampling of fine Irish beers: Harp; Kilkenny; and Guinness.
Here's to a temperance supper,
With water in glasses tall,
And coffee and tea to end with--
And me not there at all!
The Verdict
After a disappointing meal for our Great Britain outing, there were those amongst us leery of another pub meal. We shouldn't have feared. The Quiet Man's reputation is well deserved. The meals were outstanding, and the selection wide and varied. Despite the name, it's certainly not a quiet night out in this bustling venue. This is a guaranteed revisit venue, best enjoyed with a group of friends.
May the lilt of Irish laughter
Lighten every load.
May the mist of Irish magic
Shorten every road.
And may your friends remember
All the favours you are owed!
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